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HIGHTSTOWN: Council promotes police sergeant

By Jen Samuel, Managing Editor
    HIGHTSTOWN — Frank Gendron is now acting lieutenant of the Police Department.
    The Borough Council approved Resolution 2012-82, with a vote of 5 to 0 with Councilman Robert Thibault abstaining, which called for Sgt. Gendron’s promotion on Feb. 21.
    "(It is) well deserved,” Mayor Steven Kirson said.
    Police Director James Le Tellier, a civilian, recommended Mr. Gendron to the position. Prior to Borough Council hiring Mr. Le Tellier earlier this month, Mr. Gendron served Hightstown as its borough’s acting police director.
    He began his duties of acting police director on September 1, three days after Hurricane Irene’s impact to the town was just being assessed.
    That storm destroyed the former Police Department barracks adjacent to the Borough Hall, on South Main Street. Both the Police Department and the municipal government have relocated elsewhere in town since the storm.
    Sgt. Gendron was present during his appointment to the position of acting police lieutenant.
    He is scheduled to enter into an eight-week Federal Bureau of Investigation program later this year.
    Mr. Le Tellier said, “He’s assured me he’s a phone call away,” in reference to Sgt. Gendron’s upcoming FBI training.
    The role of Police Director is a municipal administrative role overseeing the Police Department. The Police Director reports directly to the Borough Council.
    As a civilian police director, Mr. Le Teller cannot access police records.
    The borough’s 2011 ordinance requires that at least one member of the law enforcement agency holds the rank of lieutenant.
    Thus, with three sergeants within the force, Sgt. Gendron was selected to the position — with “acting” precisely placed within the title.
    Under PBA regulations, men and women must complete an assessment test, which varies throughout New Jersey police forces, in order to advance in rank. A precise hiring process for the formal hiring of a lieutenant has not yet been established in Hightstown. That process, once established, will likely take months.
    Acting Lieutenant Gendron will report law enforcement matters to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
    Police Director Le Tellier stated to the Borough Council, “I think he’s done an outstanding job,” and gave Sgt. Gendron credit for taking on the responsibilities of having no chief in lieu of a hurricane.
    "Establish a clear chain of command,” Mr. Tellier said of Resolution 2012-82.
    Mr. Le Tellier said that a chain of command among law enforcement officers was important. He described the Police Department as “being in transition.”
    He stated, “I truly believe stability at this point (is essential) . . . Change for the sake of change is very detrimental to an organization. I believe stability is a very important thing.”
    Sgt. Gendron will receive a salary increase in his promotion to acting lieutenant, although he did not during his tenure as acting police director.
    Of Gendron, Mr. Le Tellier said, “I think Sgt. Gendron has truly stepped up.”
    Police Commissioner Larry Quattrone said, “Our director made his own assessment here . . . I did not have anything to do with it.”
    Mr. Quattrone said to Mr. Le Tellier, “I’ve been watching our director work and I commend you on the amount of work and time you are doing.”
    Furthermore, Mr. Quattrone explained, “He is definitely doing what we expected him to do.”